CS4 DVD will not start

[Joseph...@adobeforums.com]

I am running XP Pro with SP3 and all current patches. My dvd drive is a Plextor PX-760A. At first neither the CS4 application dvd nor the Learning dvd would start in my drive.

Then I flashed the drive firmware from 1.04 to 1.07.
This drive uses the windows drivers. Plextor does not supply drivers.

After flashing the firmware the CS4 Learning dvd starts fine. I also found my CS3 dvd and it also starts fine.

However, the CS4 application dvd will not spin up. The drive makes 2 faint beeps, tries to spin up the disk a few times and then gives up.

Any suggestions on what I might try before calling Adobe and asking for a replacement disk?

[Wolf_...@adobeforums.com]

Why wait for a replacement disk? Download the software.

Try the disk in another computer to see if it fires up. The problem may be your Plextor.

[Joseph...@adobeforums.com]

Photoshop CS4 does not appear to be available for trial download.
Yes, the 'extended' version is available but that is not what I bought.

Alas, while I do have a second computer in the house it lacks a dvd drive.

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

joseph, when you put your serial # in the extended features will be disabled and you'll have the standard version.

thinking about this, i believe there was a guy a couple weeks back with the same problem. he had a plextor drive also and wound up having to jump through hoops to get it to work (loading it from another machine then onto an external drive or something). i don't think it's the disc. i think it's the drive.

[Bart_...@adobeforums.com]

...hencely why I have never used a Plextor drive.

[Joseph...@adobeforums.com]

Dave,

Thanks for that info about using my serial # with 'extended'.

I did read a couple threads where others had problems loading CS4 from Plextor drives. I'll find another PC today and try to copy the files.

[Joseph...@adobeforums.com]

Success!

A PC at the local library was able to spin up the Photoshop CS4 DVD. I then copied the files to an sdhc card via a USB card reader that I brought with me. Those files take a bit under 4GB.

Back home I scanned the card for malware, copied the files to an empty partition on one of my drives and then installed.

Installation was smooth, my serial # was accepted, and I have opened both Bridge and PS. I am good to go.

[dave_...@adobeforums.com]

cool! that's what the other guy did too, come to think of it. copy to an sd card and install from there! way to go! enjoy!